


Fluffy feline, fuzzy feelings

by yogini



Series: Christmas fluff Camelot style [6]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arguing, Boys In Love, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Established Relationship, Ficlet, Kissing, Love, M/M, One Shot, Pet, Romance, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-06
Updated: 2014-12-06
Packaged: 2018-02-28 13:17:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2733995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yogini/pseuds/yogini
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin wants a cat and Arthur doesn’t think that’s a good idea…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fluffy feline, fuzzy feelings

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or any of the characters in the series, I'm just borrowing them from their respective owners to play with a little and I promise to give them back when I'm done. No copyright infringement is intended and I don't make any money from writing fanfiction.

“No” Arthur said exasperated, trying not to look at his boyfriend. He knew that if he looked into those pleading blue eyes he’d be done for in no time at all. “No, we’re not getting a cat and that’s final.”

“But why?” Merlin whined, pouting and looking like a five year old kid whose parents told him he couldn’t have any more candy. Arthur sighed.

“You know why.” They’d been through the reasons over and over again over the past few weeks and he was getting tired of the discussion. He worked long hours and travelled quite often. Merlin was in the final stage of his education and had lots of exams, and soon he’d be spending most of his time at a hospital doing his professional practice. There was simply no room for a cat in their life right now.

“We could get a sitter for the cat” Merlin said, as if reading Arthur’s thoughts.

“And when that person is on holiday or gets ill or moves to another town? We’ll just make ourselves really dependant on others.”

”Then we can find another one. And there are boarding catteries as well” Merlin retorted stubbornly. “You just don’t want to be bothered with it.”

 

And that was true. While Arthur didn’t exactly look forward to finding coughed up hairballs in his bed or cleaning a smelly litter box (but Merlin would be the one to take care of those things anyway) that was not the problem. The problem was all the extra responsibilities that came with being a cat owner. If he’d get a cat Arthur didn’t want it to be left alone too much, or handed around to more or less enthusiastic sitters or checked in to a cattery with some polite but impersonal staff. He wanted it to have a real home and he didn’t think that they could provide that during this stage of their lives.

He must have said the last sentence out loud since Merlin snorted loudly.

 

“And when can we, when we’re retired?” he snapped. “Do you really think that I want it to be miserable and lonely, or that I would get a cat if I didn’t know it would have a good life?” He stalked off towards the bedroom with a venomous glare in Arthur’s direction and when Arthur joined him some time later, Merlin was already in bed and had his back turned, facing the wall.

“Merlin, you know I would, if I thought that…?”

“But it’s not just about what you think, is it?” Merlin interrupted him. “You just don’t listen to me, do you? I told you that our neighbour would love to help, she’s feeling lonely and would love to have some company and one of my classmates volunteer at an animal shelter that offers boarding for pets as well. It’s a good place, I’ve been there. We could make it work, if only you wanted to.” Then Merlin pulled the duvet up over his ears and proceeded to ignore Arthur, who yanked his pillow from the bed and went to sleep on the couch. He clearly wasn’t going to get any tonight, thanks to that damn cock-blocker of a cat.

 

The next morning Merlin had already left by the time that Arthur woke up, and how he managed to do that without waking half the building was a mystery to Arthur, since Merlin could easily fall over when walking on an even pavement, not to mention going through an apartment with stuff on the floors to trip over or bump into.

“Wonders never cease” he murmured to himself as he got ready and went to work. As they day wore on, Arthur found it increasingly difficult to concentrate because all he could see was Merlin’s unhappy face and all he could think of was how disappointed Merlin had sounded the day before. Swearing, he quickly punched in a number on his cell phone and left work early. He had something to take care of.

 

When Merlin returned from class that evening he was met at the door by his unusually nervous and fiddling boyfriend.

“What the matter?” he asked, for a second forgetting that he was still angry with Arthur. “Are you ill?” He put his hand on Arthur’s forehead and frowned when he realized that his boyfriend was a bit hot and clammy.

“Yes, I mean no, I mean I’m fine, I think…” Arthur babbled and Merlin looked even more worried.

“Are you sure that…?” he started but Arthur interrupted him.

“It’s just that I wanted to do this, and I know how important Christmas is to you, but I checked with all of them, and it’s all right so it should work and I’m sorry and I hope you don’t mind, because it’s December, right?” Arthur looked at him nervously and Merlin was at loss of what to say.

“Eh… You sure you’re okay?” he managed at last and his boyfriend just stared at him.

“Yes!” he said impatiently. “Are you coming or what?”

“Um, I guess?” Still confused Merlin tossed the coat onto a chair, toed off his trainers (“really, Merlin, it’s December for goodness’s sake, why aren’t you wearing the boots that I bought you?”) and unwrapped the long, knitted scarf from around his neck. Arthur impatiently ushered him into the living room and Merlin felt his jaw drop.

 

The whole living room had been cleaned from the haphazardly strewn books and the odd bits and pieces that normally adorned the coffee table, the socks on the floor was gone and so was the dinner plates from last night. A fire was burning and beside the hearth stood a large Christmas tree, all decorated in gold and red. Under the tree was a big pile, in fact a whole mountain, of gifts. Merlin swallowed and looked at them, as they were obviously not for him, he didn’t know what to say and just opened and closed his mouth. Under the tree was a soft blanket with paw prints on, toys of every imaginable size and model, bags and bags of cat treats and food, matching bowls for food and water a red collar and a small cat house with a soft bed and plush, fluffy cushions.  

 

“Well,” Arthur said nervously. “You like it?” When Merlin still didn’t say anything and just looked around Arthur started babbling again.

“The decorations in the tree are all safe for cats, I asked at the shelter, and the tree is secured in the ceiling, if the cat climbs in it so it doesn’t topple and…” His voice died away. “Well?” he prompted. “Say something then!”

“I… I don’t really know what to say” Merlin said, still slightly shocked. “What cat?”

“Our cat, of course” Arthur answered, looking as if Merlin was stupid. When Merlin continued to look bewildered Arthur sighed.

“Look, I’m sorry about yesterday and I’ve sort of changed my mind, I called the neighbour and talked to her and I went to the shelter and it looked nice so we could make it work. And then I thought that it would be nice if it was a Christmas present, only it isn’t really Christmas yet, but I hope you didn’t mind that I bought the tree a little early and…” He was cut off by Merlin who threw himself into Arthur’s arms and claimed his lips in a fierce, almost bruising kiss and Arthur was slightly out of breath when Merlin reluctantly pulled away at last.

“So where is it then?” he asked, eyes shining with excitement.

“What?” Arthur answered, still trying to recover what was left of his brain after that kiss and now it was Merlin turn to look at Arthur as if he was stupid.

“Our cat?”

“Oh.” Arthur looked at his boyfriend with a smile. “I couldn’t very well pick one without you, could I? I thought we could adopt one from the shelter, together.”


End file.
